A California couple is experiencing profound grief after their English bulldog tragically drowned at a dog daycare facility in Santa Barbara. The incident, which occurred at Camp Canine, a venue promoted as the "Disneyland for dogs," has prompted a police investigation and a public apology from the establishment.
Chris and Ashley Merz of Ventura lost their one-year-old dog, Bruce, last Thursday while he was under the care of the boarding and daycare center.
Investigation Underway
Law enforcement officials have initiated an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Bruce's death. As part of the initial investigation, officers interviewed Bruce's owners and staff members who were present at the time of the incident.
According to Alison Genet, Ashley Merz's mother, who spoke with a local news outlet, Bruce is believed to have drowned sometime between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The family asserts they were not informed of their dog's passing until they arrived at Camp Canine for pickup around 3:30 p.m.
Genet further noted that English bulldogs are not naturally adept at swimming. She explained that Bruce had attended Camp Canine and trained there for approximately six months, and was typically housed with smaller or medium-sized dogs due to his build. However, she said he somehow ended up in the large-dog yard, an area featuring two unfenced swimming pools.
According to Genet, Camp Canine's proprietors admitted Bruce should not have been in that particular yard but could not provide an explanation for his presence there.
Family Expresses Deep Distress
A GoFundMe campaign was initiated by Savannah, Ashley's sister, to assist the family with Bruce's cremation, memorial costs, and legal expenses. The fundraiser asserts that the family's suffering was exacerbated by the handling of the incident.
"What was meant to be a normal day at Camp Canine turned into tragedy when their dog drowned while in the facility's care," the fundraiser page states. "The pain was compounded by the way the situation was handled—they were not contacted when the incident occurred, and only learned of their dog's passing later that day when they arrived to pick him up."
The campaign further alleges that Bruce's body was returned to his owners in "a storage container in the trunk of a vehicle." It also notes the family later discovered he had not been transported to an emergency veterinary hospital before they were informed of his death. Savannah conveyed the depth of their loss, stating, "My sister and brother-in-law are now left grieving the unimaginable loss of a beloved family member, while trying to understand exactly what happened that day."
Facility Issues Apology and Halts Operations
Camp Canine, which has operated in the Santa Barbara area for four decades and describes itself on its website as the "Disneyland for dogs," issued a public apology on Saturday via an Instagram statement.
General Manager Jayne Sigman conveyed the facility's remorse:
"There are no words that can fully express the heartbreak we feel following the tragic loss of a beloved dog while in our care earlier this week. A family entrusted us with a cherished member of their family, and they are now living with an unimaginable loss because we failed in our responsibility to keep their dog safe. We are profoundly sorry. Our hearts are with them as they grieve, and we know that no words can lessen the pain they are experiencing."
The facility announced that it has temporarily ceased daycare services to conduct a thorough review of its premises, safety protocols, and emergency response procedures. The statement emphasized the commitment to improvement: "It is our responsibility to learn from this loss, to make meaningful changes, and to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again. That work has already begun."
